Russia relies on escalation: USA warn against the use of weapons of mass destruction

Russia relies on escalation
US warns against use of weapons of mass destruction

Russia’s accusation that Ukraine is developing nuclear or biological weapons turns out to be misinformation. The US is alarmed by this claim: the Kremlin could strategically use it as a pretext to prepare itself for an attack of unprecedented proportions.

The US government has warned of a possible Russian use of chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine. By spreading misinformation, Moscow wants to pave the way for further escalating the unjustified war of aggression in Ukraine, US President Joe Biden’s spokeswoman Jen Psaki warned on Twitter. Russia is following a clear pattern of behavior – either to use weapons of mass destruction itself or to fake an attack by the Ukrainians in order to construct a justification for continuing the war, Psaki wrote.

Psaki’s statement came after allegations by Russia that Ukraine is developing nuclear or biological weapons. Only on Monday did the Russian Ministry of Defense claim that there was a network of biological laboratories in Ukraine working on behalf of the US Department of Defense. However, international fact-checkers have long since invalidated this claim.

US State Department spokesman Ned Price said the “Russian misinformation is complete nonsense”. The US did not operate any biological or chemical weapons laboratories in Ukraine and fully respected international chemical and biological weapons treaties.

China spreads Russian propaganda

Psaki explained that Russia, on the other hand, has repeatedly used chemical weapons – for example in attacks on political opponents of President Vladimir Putin such as Alexei Navalny. In addition, Moscow supports the Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, whose regime has “repeatedly used chemical weapons”. There is a method for Russia to accuse the West of violations that the country is committing itself.

The US government accused Russia and China of spreading conspiracy theories about the use of alleged US weapons of mass destruction. “The Kremlin is deliberately misrepresenting that the United States and Ukraine are using chemical and biological weapons in Ukraine,” said US State Department spokesman Ned Price. China appears to be continuing to spread Russian propaganda, Psaki wrote.

The United Nations had previously stated that it had no knowledge of weapons of mass destruction allegedly produced in Ukraine. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in New York that the World Health Organization was “not aware of any activities by the Ukrainian government that conflict with its international treaty obligations, including chemical or biological weapons.”

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